A Night in the Woods

A Night in the Woods

Year: 2011

Runtime: 82 mins

Language: English

Director: Richard Parry

HorrorMystery

Brody, his girlfriend Kerry, and their friend Leo set out for a hike in Dartmoor, but a night of camping quickly spirals into terror. Jealousy, sexual tension, and strained relationships erupt, and collective paranoia mounts as a darker, unseen force stalks the ancient, eerie woods. The trio must confront what hunts them and fight to survive the night.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – A Night in the Woods (2011)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Night in the Woods (2011). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Modern day

The story sits in contemporary times, with present-day camping gear and a video camera used to document moments. Relationships and jealousy unfold in a current social context, highlighting familiar modern dynamics. The forest becomes a timeless stage where the characters confront trust, memory, and danger.

Location

Dartmoor, England

The film unfolds on the windswept Dartmoor moors in southwest England, a remote setting of open skies, scrubland, and rugged tors. The landscape alternates between expansive, isolating plains and dense woods, amplifying the sense of vulnerability for the campers. A nearby village pub and the surrounding trails anchor the characters’ movements as tension escalates into the forest.

🏞️ Dartmoor National Park 🗺️ Countryside

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:43

Main Characters – A Night in the Woods (2011)

Meet the key characters of A Night in the Woods (2011), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Brody Cartwright (Scoot McNairy)

An aspiring filmmaker whose need to capture every moment exposes a controlling, jealous streak. He obsessively monitors Kerry and Leo, resorting to planting a camera to trap them and satisfy his suspicions. His emotional distance and manipulation drive the rift, culminating in a deadly confrontation that leaves him vulnerable to the forest’s dangers.

😠 Jealous 🎥 Obsessive 🗝️ Controlling

Kerry Hastings (Anna Skellern)

Kerry is caught in a tense triangle, seeking warmth and connection while masking a past with Leo. She lies to smooth things over and faces the consequences of broken trust as the truth emerges. In the woods, she fights to survive a volatile situation and a mounting sense of danger that culminates in a shocking act of self-preservation.

💔 Relational tension 🧭 Survival 🤫 Secretive

Leo (Andrew Hawley)

Kerry’s former lover who poses as a cousin, igniting Brody’s jealousy and entangling the trio in a web of past passions and present deceit. He flirts with Kerry, and a violent incident underscores the volatility of his character. His fate becomes intertwined with the forest’s mystery and the fragile trust among the group.

🔥 Charismatic 🌀 Volatile 🗝️ Secretive

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:43

Major Themes – A Night in the Woods (2011)

Explore the central themes of A Night in the Woods (2011), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Jealousy

Jealousy drives the central conflict as Brody’s insecurity festers over Kerry’s interactions with Leo. His obsession pushes him to surveillance and manipulation, revealing how envy corrodes trust. The emotion fuels fear, deception, and the ultimate breakdown of the trio’s bond.

🕵️ Deception

Lies and hidden truths underpin the relationship dynamics: Kerry’s past with Leo, the false cousin ruse, and Brody’s covert recording. The reveals reframe loyalties and force the characters to reassess who they can trust. The deception threads through every confrontation and twist.

🌲 Survival

The forest becomes a hostile backdrop where physical danger and psychological strain collide. As events spiral, the characters must navigate isolation, fear, and the unknown force stalking them. Survival hinges on quick decisions, resilience, and the willingness to confront buried truths.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:43

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Paranoid horror thrillers like A Night in the Woods

Stories where isolation and distrust turn allies into enemies.If you liked the claustrophobic terror and relationship breakdown in A Night in the Woods, explore more movies like it. These horror and thriller films focus on groups under pressure, where trust erodes and paranoia takes hold in isolated settings, creating a deeply unsettling experience.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically begin with a group in a stressful, isolated situation. Tension builds steadily as interpersonal conflicts—often fueled by jealousy, secrets, or betrayal—are ignited by a perceived external menace. The story revolves around the collapse of social bonds, culminating in a fight for survival where the line between friend and foe is blurred.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the psychology of confinement and distrust. They create a palpable sense of dread not just from a monster or killer, but from the terrifying realization that the people you're with cannot be trusted, making the environment itself feel oppressive and lethal.

Supernatural psychological horror movies like A Night in the Woods

Horror films where a vague supernatural force preys on fragile minds.Fans of the ambiguous evil and psychological terror in A Night in the Woods will find similar stories here. These films feature a vague supernatural threat that preys on characters' deepest fears and flaws, resulting in bleak, open-ended conclusions that linger in the mind.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a group or individual confronted by a poorly understood supernatural entity. This force doesn't just pose a physical threat; it manipulates, exposes secrets, and amplifies existing psychological vulnerabilities. The plot is as much about confronting inner demons as it is about surviving an external one, often leading to an ambiguous or bleak ending where the threat's nature is never fully explained.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their use of an enigmatic supernatural element to explore themes of guilt, trauma, and madness. The experience is defined by sustained dread and a feeling of hopelessness, as the characters are undone by a force they can neither comprehend nor defeat, leaving a lasting sense of unease.

Unlock the Full Story of A Night in the Woods

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A Night in the Woods Summary

Read a complete plot summary of A Night in the Woods, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

A Night in the Woods Summary

A Night in the Woods Timeline

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A Night in the Woods Timeline

A Night in the Woods Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of A Night in the Woods that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

A Night in the Woods Spoiler-Free Summary

More About A Night in the Woods

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about A Night in the Woods: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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